Maintaining Tropical Hibiscus In South Louisiana.... by Buddy Short

Paul Buddy Short is an experienced hibiscus grower, an active member of the National American Hibiscus Society and the local Mike Bernard Acadiana Hibiscus Chapter.

It is my belief, and also my
opinion, that properly maintaining your tropical hibiscus in South
Louisiana breaks down into 6 basic categories. The following are my
thoughts on each of these 6 subjects. These ideas are what I do today to
maintain my plants and should I change my opinion or procedure in any
area I will let you know of that change.

I
am often asked many questions about my plants and to offer suggestions
to my listeners about their own personal maintenance. I am always
willing to help but I first offer the following as a good opening
statement. "Only purchase as many plants as you are willing, or able, to
properly maintain!" That to me is the key.

Follow these 6 Basic Suggestions and I believe your plants will be healthier and provide you with many happy moments in the future..........

1) Information.......since
there are multiple sources for ongoing information you must first
recognize that most books or articles are written for the masses. This
in itself makes the information general in nature and not specific to
where you live. I believe that whatever information you use as your
basis for a procedure it must be specific to our climate in South
Louisiana. Even your Hibiscus Handbook and your quarterly Seed Pod
magazine should be reviewed and adjusted for the location of the
presenter. To me this is essential to maintaining a healthy plant in our
climate.

Suggestion......There
is a Yahoo Group address for hibiscus growers. Newcomers, as well as
veterans, can ask questions or even offer advice to others. This service
comes free of charge and I would encourage all members to sign up by
emailing [email protected].
Your subject line should read....sign me up. That's all you have to do.
If you have a specific question, be sure you state where you live and
ask someone from your area to respond. This is a great resource and one
that each of you can use to further your knowledge.

If
all else fails then contact me by email or phone (337) 232-2446 . By
now each of you should realize that I am here to help you.......and I
want to!

2) Pots...most individuals that grow tropical hibiscus in South Louisiana should be concerned with one important part of that pot. How well does this pot drain?
Nothing else! To me, that translates into, how big are the drainage
holes and how many holes does that pot have? Today I maintain most of my
plants in 3 gallon pots. I have used many different ones throughout my
growing experience but at this time I have settled on a pot from
Wal-Mart or I simply use the old standard black pot. If you don't think
your pots have enough drainage holes then purchase a hand drill and
drill some additional holes in your pots. Once again the key is good
drainage. That may be the most important basic of all 6.

3) Potting Mix...In
the words of our resident expert Bobby Dupont, "If it's working, then
don't change it!" Great advice! Today after much trial and error, I have
settled on the regular potting mix put out by Miracle
Grow. Additionally I purchase a bag of perlite and a bag of orchid mix
and add them to my mix as needed. No, I do not have a formula. It's just
a feel thing for me. I put it all in a big pot and mix it up. I am also
experimenting with some rubber mulch with the same purpose in mind:
aeration and good drainage. So far I am extremely pleased with the
results of the rubber mulch. It is doing EXACTLY what I was looking for.

I have been told that a rose mix works well also but I have not tried it.

4) Watering...this
may be the most misunderstood basic of all 6 and I believe this may be
mostly responsible for killing many or most potted plants.

Here's
a scenario: you walk outside to get in your car to head to work. Before
you get in your car you walk past your hibiscus and all of a sudden you
see a drooping plant. You quickly grab your hose or water bucket and
water your plant thoroughly. You are now satisfied you have solved your
issue and you head to work. Your work day is now over and you head home.
Again you walk past your plant and your drooping plant has not
recovered. In fact, it looks worse! Have you got the picture and haven't
we all done exactly that? Unfortunately your plant was telling you that
she was TOO WET
not that she was thirsty. You have now compounded the problem and have
made the situation worse. Your plant is now on a fast road to Hibiscus
Heaven.

The next time this happens........STOP.......don't
pick up that hose. Go over first and pick up that pot. If it is
thirsty, then no matter who you are, you will be able to pick it up very
easily. At that point, by all means, go get the hose.

If
on the other hand, your pot is heavy then it is telling you that it is
retaining too much moisture and immediate action is necessary if you are
to survive your plant. Pull your plant out of your pot and examine the
bottom of your potting mix. If it is too wet, you will immediately
notice it and corrective action is imperative. This is what I want you
to do. First, examine the holes in the bottom of your pot. They may be
stopped up and causing your problem. If the holes are not allowing water
to run out, it may be necessary to re-drill the holes. (as stated
before, a good hand drill is a great tool). Put some holes on the sides
as well. That can not hurt your plant.) Now that you have determined
that moisture is your culprit then elevate your plant off the ground and
allow it to dry out. It will like you for doing that. Another
possibility is to wash off the roots and completely start over with
fresh potting mix. You'll know soon enough if any of this worked.

Here's
an additional suggestion that works for me. I pay close attention to
how quickly my water is absorbed into my potting mix. If it sits on top
of the soil and doesn't go down then I poke several holes in the top
layer so that it can be absorbed. Sometimes in our climate the top of
your mix gets crusty and will not allow that water to go down. Break
that crust and maybe even isolate that plant from the others so that you
can keep a close eye on it. If this persists then you may want to repot
your plant.

If none of this works and you can't
revive your plant then make certain that you've at least learned a
lesson and won't do that again.

It is my contention that more plants are lost to too much moisture than have ever been lost to becoming too dry.

5) Fertilizer...most
experts will tell you that tropical hibiscus like high potassium (the
last number) and low phosphorous (the middle number). Pay attention to
the 3 readings of the fertilizer you use and look for those that
correspond to the suggestions above. If you can't find fertilizer of
this nature then look for one that is balanced. I noted recently that
Home Depot had a balanced granular fertilizer called Osmocote (14-14-14.
Green) Follow the directions and remember that during the
growing/flowering season, tropical hibiscus like to be fed often even if
it is in minimum doses.

I also use a once
monthly application of Epsom Salts. That is easily found and can be
spread by hose application or by simple putting some down in the base of
your pots. I also use a compound called Messenger. That may be
unnecessary for most of you. The Epsom Salts will turn your leaves dark
green. To me, that makes them look extremely healthy.

6) Insect Control...there
are many products available to prevent an insect infestation. I have
tried many and have finally settled on one product for the majority of
my problems. Depending on the number of plants you are trying to
maintain, Triazicide gives multiple choices for you to choose from. I
believe in "preventative maintenance" so I attempt to prevent insect
attacks as much as possible. To do this I use a granular form of
Triazicide in the base of my pots. If that has not worked as well as I
would like and, I see ants on any of my plants, then I will go to either
an individual application of Triazicide in a squirt bottle or I will
use an aerosol can of Rose Pride by Ortho (used to be called Orthonex)
for a fogger spray. (make sure you are outside)

Because
of the number of plants I collect, it is necessary for me to make a
broad application of Triazicide hooked to the hose. I do this probably 3
times a year.

For those of you who don't
use chemicals, or are possibly allergic to them, the easiest method for
you is a good old blast from the hose. Most of your critters will be
knocked off. The bad news is you didn't kill them and chances are they
will be back.

Conclusion.......In
my opinion, these 6 basics should allow you to maintain your plants in a
successful manner. 1) remember to always select information that is
specific to your area 2) make sure that regardless of what kind of pots
you use that the drainage holes are large and numerous 3) pick a potting
mix that works best for you. You may have to try several before you
settle on just one. 4) before you water.....pick up that pot.....That is
more important than you realize 5) feed your babies often and start
paying close attention to the 3 reading on your fertilizer 6) practice
preventative insect control and remember that a good blast from the hose
is good too.

So there you have it, 6 simple and
basic areas to follow. If you will follow those guidelines your plants
will look healthy and they will show their appreciation often with many
beautiful blooms for your pleasure. After all, isn't that why we are all
"Hooked on Hibiscus?"